Tuesday, 22 January 2013

Time Drags

Klaus Rinke :
Bahnhofsuhren, Duesseldorf, Volksgarten, 1987*

How heavy time hangs when you appear to have a lot of it and nothing much to do. Marooned in the house by snow and ice, free to read and write - or as some people might say: do nothing - without let or hindrance, the endless hours of enforced leisure are becoming an irritant. Normally, pleasurable hours of self indulgence are a gift, a time to be treasured. Many of us spend our lives as slaves to clocks, merciless accountants who drive us on, second by second, taskmasters holding the whip. Who has not wanted to manipulate time, stop it, slow it down or speed it up. We say that time marches on, regardless of our needs. There are many phrases that include ‘time', most of them too clichéd to repeat here, so I won’t. Besides, searching the internet for lists does not fall within this blog’s aim in life. But what to do? What to do? My book has lost its attraction, it’s too dark to watch the birds from the window, I have caught up with telephone and email debts, dinner has been eaten and cleared away, I can’t knit, paint or make music. Only the TV is left as a last resort.

But things are bound to get better, because time heals all, and we must take it one day at a time. And platitudes rule ok!

*The German artist Klaus Rinke ‘planted’ his piece ‘Zeitfeld’ (Time field), of 24 railway station clocks in the Volksgarten, Duesseldorf for the city’s Garden Show, All clocks show the same time but looking from one to the next, the hands, and therefore time, have already moved on.
PS: Beloved and Millie have just come in after a quick piddle run, it’s snowing again; both of them were bearing a load of white powder on their backs.

Sorry time is hanging heavy on your hands, Friko. I do sympathise, but am afraid I don't feel the same way, as I always find the days too short, even when snowed in. I think I was so busy with work for so long that being retired, with my time my own, is one long pleasure.

Oh, I hate those times when we are confined to the house due to weather. Thankfully, that doesn't happen often where we live. Like you, when these types of imposed solitary housebound restrictions are placed on me, I don't want to do a thing. I hibernate. Books, writing, cooking, cleaning and other diversions do not appeal. I think it is because I can't see the sun. The sun motivates me. The sun makes me feel alive.

In spite of all of this, you wrote a lovely post. Dreariness may surround you, and boredom may have set in, buy you continue to create. I loved the art piece from Germany.

I think I might resort to experimenting with recipes for some hot drinks, and I'm not thinking of tea or chocolate.Rum toddies, mulled wine, spiced apple cider....Those lists might well be worth seeking out and sampling. I'd add any food that can be flambeed and have a fine old time playing with fire.

ha that is a pretty cool trick of the eye on the sculpture....hope the time passes and you are free again soon...or with something to do...was nice to get out today even if it was to work after the long weekend...more snow coming as well so might as well enjoy it...smiles.

Sometimes your mind refuses to become unstuck and think of anything entertaining to do. That's when it is in the dulldrums just like the ships of Columbus were on his long journey to America. There is not much to do but wait for it to be over. I think Schubert's music was made for boring periods like this. I call his "Sunday afternoon music." Especially the piece about the trout. xox

Apparently, Albertans don't let themselves be idled by weather. My husband hares off to referee high school basketball games whatever the weather, while I, who am idle anyway, am idle still. He and Lindy go for snowy walks, and then Lindy wants to be let out into the yard again after her walk. It baffles me why.I am no longer confident about winter driving and, having fallen once while walking, I'm not anxious to fall again.Instead, I stay inside and grumble, "No one warned me I'd become an old lady."We're going away again in a couple of weeks. Crossing the Atlantic by ship, from Miami, Florida, to Venice, Italy. The weather is sure to be better than crossing from Halifax to London (presumably no snow).I hope you cheer up soon. I definitely know how frustrating it is to be idled by circumstances and not by choice.Luv, K

Time flies when we're having fun, and it drags when we're bored. You need a new good book to take you away from everything! I hope it comes to you just in the nick of time. That's a phrase I've always loved... :-)

I've another cliché... "Forbidden fruit tastes sweetest ". Once one's allowed to read for hours and hours , it loses its appeal . Luckily I was given the first series of some television programme for Christmas and might well watch them all today . I think it's called Garments And Thrones ? Though , now I can , I might not .....

It always amazes me that when I am so busy, I yearn for "nothing" to do...then when I get that...I am bored! Ha!May your days be filled with wonderful thoughts, dreams and ideas...then write them down for those "busy" days.HugsSueAnn

Be glad that you have Internet access. It helps with the feeling of isolation. Too much of a good thing always seems to end up being too much of a good thing. See, even I can contribute a cliche or two.

We are in a bit of an arctic spell here on the east coast, and, frankly, with five weeks of visitors having departed, I'm looking forward to a few days of hibernation inside. When all else fails, I try to remember that doing nothing can sometimes be constructive. Indeed, I think the zen masters would tell us that, paradoxically, doing nothing may be the most important thing one can do in life. Just as there can be stillness in movement, there can be movement in stillness.

Hi Friko .. I was hoping today I'd be snowed in .. so I could finish off and then start again .. but it rained so I could escape! Your weather up there sounds incredible ...

I'm glad some of the time I live in the town - not quite central - but would love to live in the country too - as I did in childhood ... So glad Beloved and Millie had a brief trot out - with the snow I can understand it was short ..

Waiting for Time's Winged Chariot I see. I advised my granddaughter to take time to enjoy the middle of life. We spend endless hours waiting to grow up and then time flies in the middle and seems long at the end.

Does thou love life? then do not squander time, for that is the stuff it is made from.

I like the enforced idleness brought on by bad weather - in moderation (and it makes one begin to realise what it must be like for people stuck in huts in the Antarctic for months on end). I think, as a civilisation, we rush about too much.

It just goes to show how anything, even the most favourite pastime (!) we may have, loses appeal when we have too much of it.I do hope that the weather improves soon enough for you to be able to go out again, for longer than just the absolute necessary for Millie's needs.We're supposed to have a few more cold nights and then - possibly! - it should slowly start to get above zero again.

Dear Friko, I know just what you mean, but for me the feeling, "What's to do?" came when I had a mild case of the flu last week and simply couldn't stay interested in anything I started. Just feeling blah! I'm going to read your next posting, which I see is "Joy" in the hope that things have turned around for you.

I've been away from reading and commenting on blogs for about six weeks. That's why I haven't been by to visit your postings, which always leave me pondering the vagaries of life or the wonder of having an animal companion or the possibilities of villagae life.

If there are any of your postings for the past six weeks that you'd especially like me to read, please e-mail me the URls or place them in the comment box on one of my blogs. Peace.

Hello Friko...I relate very well to your restlessness cooped up and snowbound. It is rather like what happens here in Australia when summer day temperatures climb to the early 40s Celsius. Heat like that makes it too dangerous to go outside for long. The sun almost burns through everything. It is blindingly bright. The safest place is indoors where hopefully it is cooler. It is at least shady. One can only think that this too will pass. Take care. Christine

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About Me

I was born and educated in Germany but I have lived in the UK for decades.
Before I started blogging, I had time for gardening, writing, reading, meeting friends, for poetry and literature, concerts and the theatre. I enjoyed cooking and feeding others.
Now, I do all these things if blogging permits.